ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. ground — the earth
  3. march — the month
  4. fall — to drop
  5. land — ground
  6. sharp — clever
  7. land — a country
  8. season — of the year
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. march — music
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. land — to come down
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lie — to recline
  18. march — the month
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ground — a position
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fine — all right
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com